Urdu is a language spoken predominantly in South Asia and specifically, Pakistan, where it is the lingua franca as well as national language of the country. Urdu has its origins stemming from Hindustani, as well as other Persian languages. The first few generations of Pakistanis, while speaking Urdu, have gradually assimilated into Malay culture due to school education, reliance on Malay neighbours for religious ceremonies and the absence of a Pakistani mosque. As a result, a significant portion of third-generation Pakistanis now primarily speak Malay.

Timeline

1947 → Partition of India. Pakistan gains its independence.

1948 → The Overseas Pakistani League (known today as the Singapore Pakistani Association), was formed in Singapore (Khan 2018).

1966 → The four official languages of Singapore (Malay, English, Chinese, Tamil) were enacted by the Singaporean Government.

1980s → The Singapore Pakistani Association introduces informal Urdu classes for youth, as well as cultural events for the Urdu-speaking community (Khan 2018).

1990 → Educational reforms allowed for NTIL students to sit for their Mother Tongue “O” Levels in the five approved NTIL languages (Bengali, Hindi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Urdu).

1992 → The then-president of the Urdu Development Society (Singapore), President Mohd Anwar Hussain, founded the society. (Urdu Development Society 2024)

1994 → NTIL students can sit for their Mother Tongue Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLEs) in the five approved NTIL languages (Bengali, Hindi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Urdu).

Urdu-speaking community in Singapore today

The Urdu-speaking community in Singapore can trace its roots to positions in the colonial administration, military, or business (Pillai and K Kesavapany 2016). Present-day, the Urdu community has expanded out of these few trades, going into a wide variety of industries.